Syringe holder



A. MARCELLI Feb. 10, 1953 SYRINGE HOLDER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July'21,- 1949 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR ATTILIO MARCELLI 1 I ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1953 A. MARCELLI2,627,857

'SYRINGE HOLDER Filed July 21, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mv ENTOR ATTILIOMARCELLI FIG. 9. BY

ATTORNEY Patented Feb, 19, 1953 UNITED TATES r OFFICE 19 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to hypoderic syringes, and moreparticularly to certain new and useful improvements in holders forhypodermic syringes to facilitate filling and diccharge thereof.

Users of hypodermic syringes are frequently patients who requireregular, daily self administifation of medicinal preparations. Suchpersons often have great difiiculty in reading the small and somewhatobscure calibrations on the glass barrels of conventional hypodermicsyringe and are constantly subjected to the hazard of making mistakeswhich can be serious or even fatal. The problem of providing someautomatic stop means which will assist such persons in the loading oftheir syringes is complicated by the fact that the plunger of a syringemust be withdrawn preliminar-ily to 1111 the barrel of a syringe with avolume of air somewhat larger than the volumetric size of the dose to bewithdrawn from the ampule or vial. With such quantity of air in thebarrel the syringe is plunged through the soft, penetral rubber stopperin the endof the vial or ampule and the air expelled into the vial so asto set up a slight amount of pressure upon the medicinal preparationtherein contained. Thereupon, the needle is Withdrawn slightly so thatit is entirely immersed within the liquid and the plunger withdrawn,thereby sucking a quantity of V the liquid medicinal preparation intothe syringe barrel. In

this operation, also, the syringe barrel is withdrawn to a pointsubstantially beyond the dosage required and is then carefully pushedback returning a small quantity of the liquid medicinal preparation tothe ampule or vial until the preci'se dosage is contained within thesyringe. This procedure is considered highly important so that therewill be no accidental inclusion of air bubbles within the liquid to beadministered, otherwise the patient may suifer from an embolism whichcan conceivably be fatal. This manipulative technique makes it necessarythat any non visual means for gauging the final quantit of the dose inthe syringe must be arranged so as to become operative after an Of thepreliminary steps have taken place and will function at the time thatthe plunger is pushed back to reduce the quantity of liquid in thesyringe to the precise and correct dosage desired.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a syringeholder of the type stated which incorporates an adjustable arm forcoacti'OIl with the syringe plunger to facilitate drawing the correctdosage into the syringe so as to obviate the necessity for reading thegraduations A further object of the present invention is to provide asyringe holder o'fthe type stated which embodies automatic means forinjecting the needle into the users flesh and an adjustable needle guardfor assuring that the needle will be properly positioned beforeinjection, H

An additional object "o the present invention is to provide a syringe hier of the type stated which is reliable and durable in use and economicalin'constructidn. 7

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides the novelfeatures of form. construction, arrangement, and combination er partspresently described and pointed out in the claims. b

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets) Figure 1 is a frontelevational view of a syringe holder constructed in accordance with andembodying the present invention showing a hypodermi'c syringeinoperative position therein Figure 2 is a transverse sectional viewtaken along line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical "sectional view illustrating thesyringe in retracted posi tion;

Figures 5, .6, and '7 are transverse sectional views taken along lines5-'-5, 6 6, and 1*"-1-, re spectively, of Figure 2;

Figure '8 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified form ofsyringe holder con stru'cted in accordance with and embodying thepresent invention;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side 'elevational view of the modified form ofsyringe holder; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view 'of a 'clip for maintaining thehypodermic syringe removably within themodified form of holder. v

Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustratepractical embodiments of the present invention, A designates aconventional hypodermic syringe having a cylindrical barrel 4,fabricated preferably .101. glass, being open at, its upper end andprovided at its lower end with an outlet nozzle or tip 2 over which isfrictionally engaged the hub 3 of a hypodermic needle 4, :At its upperend the barrel i is provided with an integral collar or shoulder 5 andupon its outwardly presented face, said barrel 1 is provided withsuitable graduated markings 8 for indicating the amount of dosage. Thedrawings herein, for purposes of illustration, show "a graduation in 40units as commonly marked on syringes used by diabetic patients for i andprojecting at itsfu p'pe'r end '1: is a plunger or piston '1 ha fig acreased neck portion 8 a d an e arged ea 9'. Provided for use was a someit is a syringe 3 holder It, fabricated preferably of stainless steel,or other suitable light metal, comprising an upper relatively narrowtubular sleeve 1 I having an inside diametral size suitable for freelyaccommodating the syringe barrel I. Secured, as by rivets, at the upperend of the sleeve II is a plurality of spaced flexible finger elements12 for gripping engagement upon the collar for retentively securing thesyringe A within the holder Iil. At its lower end the sleeve II isintegrally provided with a flange I3 against the upper face of whichbears the lower end of a compression spring I4 surroundingly positionedabout the lower portion of the sleeve II and bearing at its upper endagainst the under face of a closure disk I5. The disk [5 is marginallythreaded for engagement with the internally threaded upper end of alower sleeve [6 disposed outwardly of, and in concentric relation to,the upper sleeve I I. The sleeve [6 is diametrally decreased, as at I I,to provide an abutment shoulder I8 upon which is normally seated theflange i3 of the upper sleeve I I. The lower portion of the sleeve 16 isinternally threaded for engagement with the external threads of aferrule I9 upon which is also engaged a knurled locking collar 20. Thelower end portion of the ferrule I9 is provided with a pair ofdiametrally opposed, L-shaped bayonet slots 2| for lockingly receivingpins or bayonets 22 suitably secured to, as by soldering, and projectingoutwardly from a tubular member 23. Mounted upon the tubular member 23adjacent its lower end are opposed outwardly extending lugs 24, 24', forswingably supporting a vial-holding frame 25 by extension through theapertured upper ends 26, 26', respectively, thereof. The lowertransverse section 21 of the frame 25 is centrally provided with anaxially bored, internally threaded boss 28 for receiving an upwardlythreaded thumb screw 25. Disposed within the frame 25 is a conventionaltype vial or bottle 34, such as an insulin-containing ampule, with itsneck 3i extending upwardly into the tubular member 23 and provided witha conventional rubber stopper 32 having a relatively thin, easilypunctured center 33 for facile penetration by the needle 4. The screw 29may be adjusted to bring its upper end into tight abutting engagementagainst the bottom face of the ampule 38 to maintain it securely withinthe frame It will thus be seen that through the concentricity of thesleeves l I, I6, the ferrule 19 and the tubular member 23, the needle 4will be in axial alignment with the center 33 of the ampule stopper 32.

Pivotally mounted on the face of the upper portion of the sleeve I 6 isa latch member 34, its lower end being beveled and turned inwardly inthe formation of a tongue 35 which is biased by a spring 35 for normallyprojecting through an aperture 31 in th wall 33 of the sleeve l6.Diametrally opposed to the aperture 31 the sleeve wall 38 is aninternally threaded, relatively small aperture 39 for engagement withthe threaded end of a screw 40 having an enlarged, smoothsurfaced neck4| and a relatively large head 42. The neck 4| of the screw 44 projectsthrough a suitable aperture in the lower end of a channelshaped supportarm 43 for pivotally supporting the same, and has encirclingly disposedabout its face a coil spring 44 which abuts at its inner end against thesleeve wall 38 and at its outer end against the inwardly presented faceof the arm 43. The upper end of the arm 43 is of sufiicient I (it)length to extend beyond the upper end of the sleeve I I when said arm 43is swung into upward position (see Figure 2). Provided in the arm 43 isan elongated, longitudinal slot 45, through which outwardly projects athreaded lug 46 suitably secured, as by soldering, at its inner end to aslide arm 47 disposed within the channel of the support arm 43, andprojecting outwardly thereof at its upper end which is bentperpendicularly and laterally inwardly, as at 48, to form a stop member49, having an arcuate recess 50 in one of its side margins for normalabutment against the stem and neck portions of the plunger 7 (see Figure5). A

Threadedly engaged on the outer projecting end of the lug is anadjustment nut 5| for maintaining the slide arm 41 in any selectedposition relative to the support arm 43, it being apparent that thelimits of adjustment are determined by the length of the slot 45.Suitably marked or delineated upon the outwardly presented face of theslide arm 4'! is a graduated scale 52 in calibration with the particularscale provided upon the barrel I of the syringe A, for purposesappearing.

more fully hereinafter.

In usage, the vial-holding frame 25 with the ainpule 38, containing theparticular matter desired, as insulin, is positioned upon the lower endof the ferrule I9 by lockingly engaging the pins 22 within the slots 2!.The syringe A is then inserted downwardly in the syringe holder I0 andheld securely therein by the gripping engagement of the fingers i2 uponthe shoulder 5, in which position, the needle 4 will penetrate thecenter of the stopper 32 and extend into the fluid in the ampule 34. Theslide arm 41 is then adjusted so that th scale 52 thereon will be set inrelation to the upper margin of the support arm 43 (see Figure 1) toindicate the required dosage. Thereon the nut 5i is tightened formaintaining the slide arm 41 securely in the selected position. Thesupport arm 43 is then pivoted to prevent the stop member 45 frominterfering with the substantial outward movement of the plunger i fordrawing material from the ampule 30 into the barrel l. Upon thecompletion of the outward movement of the plunger 7, the support 43 isthen swung to bring the stop member 49 into abutment against the stem ofthe outwardly drawn plunger I The plunger 7 is then pushed inwardlyuntil the under face of the head 9 abuts against the upper face of thestop member 49, whereon the contents in the barrel I will be in therequisite amount. It will be noted that the excess material expelled bythe syringe A upon the inward movement of the plunger 1 into abuttingcontact with the stop member 48 will return to the ampule 3!), therebyeifecting a marked economy. By use of the slide arm 43, the user neednot watch closely the scale or graduations upon the barrel I each timethe syringe A is filled, since once the slid arm 41 has beenappropriately set, it may be usedcontinuously without any furtherchecking of the scale. This feature is of extreme importance to habitualusers with affected eyesight, such as diabetic sufferers who utilizehypodermic, syringes daily, many of whom, as a natural result of theirdisease. frequently have impaired sight.

After the barrel I has been filled, as discussed above, the vial-holdingframe 25 with the bottle 30 therein, is removed-by disengagement of thepins 22 from the slots 2!, and outward pulling thereof to dislodge andclear the needle 4 from the stopper 32. Thereon the user grips the upperportion of the sleeve 1H :and pulls upwardly vfor compression of thespring :14 (see Figure 4 .In its upward travel, the flange l3 will bebrought into contact with the tongue 35 of the latch 34, causing itthereby to rock outwardly for allowing the continued upward movement orthe flange I73. Thereon the latch 35 will, through bias of the spring35, be pivoted to swing the tongue 35 inwardly into abutment against theunder face of the flange 13 to retain the spring Hi under compression.As shown in Figure 4, in this retracted position, the lower end of theneedle 4 will be in elevated relation to the lower margin of the ferruleit which thus serves as 'a needle guard for engagement of the usersskin. The user then positions the syringe .holder it) so that the lowerend of the ferrule 59 will define the field of the desired location uponhis body for the injection. Therein the upper end of the latch 54%,through finger pressure, is pivoted inwardly against the sleeve wall 33to rock the tongue 3'5 outwardly from engagement with the flange 13 torelease the .spring M, for eiiecting downward movement of the sleeve Hwhich causes the needle 5 to enter the users flesh. The plunger 7 isthen pushed inwardly to discharge the dosage contained in the barrel thesupport arm 43 having first been swung to remove the stop member .49from contact with the plunger 1.

In order to control the amount of penetration of the needle 4 throughthe stopper 32 or in cases where a larger needle is used and it isnecessary to assure :its retraction above the lower margin of theferrule 19 for facilitation of injection, the

locking collar 2i! may be loosened and the ierrule 19 threaded upwardlyor downwardly, as necessary, the requisite distance, and maintained insuch selected position by tightening of the collar 28.

If desired, a modified form of syringe holder 53 may be provided for usewith a conventional hypodermic syringe A, having a barrel i, nozzle2',hub 3', needle l',collar 5, graduations t, and plunger with a neck 8and head ii, said syringe A being in all respects similar to the syringeA above described. The holder member 53, comprises an elongated sleeveor tubular member 54 having a diametrally increased lower end portion 55suitably provided with opposed outwardly projecting ears or lugs 56, 5.3, for extension through the apertured upper ends of a vial-holdingframe '25, which is substantially similar to the vial-holding frame 25above described. Retentively disposed in the frame 25' is an ampule 38'containing the desired medication, with its neck 31' disposed within thelower portion 55 of the sleeve 5%, said neck ti being provided with astopper 32' having a thin, easily penetrated center 33'.

Extending longitudinally downwardly from the upper margin of the sleeve54 is a recess 51 for revealing the graduated scale 6'. Opening into therecess 51 is a transversely extending recess 58 with a relatively widemouth 59 for lockingly receiving the lower outwardly projecting end toof a clip member 6! integrally provided with a split band 62 forencircling the barrel 1 and a finger member 63 extending upwardlytherefrom for grippingly engaging the collar 5' to retain the clip 8! inposition upon the syringe A.

Pivotally secured upon the face of the sleeve 52 is a channel-shapedsupport arm 43' having engaged therein a slide arm 4'! provided with atransversely extending upper end in the formation :or a stop member -49for optional abuttin relationship against the stem :of the plunger 11.The support arm 48. and the slide arm 11] i'and their integral parts,are in all respects similar to the support arm 43 and. slide arm 47.,above described.

In usage, the syringe A is inserted down wa-rdly into the sleeve 54 withthe lower end so of the clip 61 passing through the recess 5! until ithas reached a point adjacent the :mouth 59 :of the recess 58. In thisposition, the needle 4" will have penetrated the center 33' of thestopper 3'2 with which it is axially aligned, :a substantial distanceinto the ampule $31? for "easy :flow of the material therein through theneedle 42, independent :of its :level. Thereon the syringe A is turnedto efiect entry :of .thelower end 69 of the clip '61 into the recess 158for retentively maintaining the syringe A during filling thereof, whichis accomplished :by operation of the plunger ii, the slide arm ti" and"stop member 49', in the same manner .as described above in connection'withthe syringe A. It is apparent that the :clip :6] will he sopositioned on the syringe A that whenfiti's engaged in th'e recess 58,the .graduat'ions it of the barrel 1 will be viewable through the recess57 After therequisite dosage has been drawn into th'ebarrel "l thesyringe A" .is then rotated to disengage the clip 61 from the recess 58and is"'then withdrawn from the sleeve 5 4., with the stop member 418maintained in contact with the head 9" to prevent any untoward inwardmovement or the plunger 1" during rotation. The syringe A is thus :inready condition for injection purposes.

It should be understood that changes "and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts oil thesyringe holder may be made and substituted for those herein shown anddescribed without departing from the nature and principle of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1.. A holder for hypodermic syringescomprising an elongated tubularportion for receiving the barrel of the syringe, a support arm swingablymounted on the outer face of said tubular portion, a measuring arminoutwardly spaced relation to the syringe barrel mounted on said supportarm for relative positiomnent with respect thereto, said measuring armprojecting at one end beyond the support arm, the projecting end of saidmeasuring arm being provided with a transversely inwardly extendingsection for engagernen't with the head of the syringe plunger to limitthe inward movement thereof for expulsion of air and excess materialwhereby the desired quantity will remain in the barrel, and means formaintaining'said measuring arm in any selected position relative to thesupport arm.

2. A holder for hypodermic syringes comprising an elongated tubularportion, a support arm swing-ably mounted on said tubular portion, ameasuring arm adjustably mounted on said support arm and projecting atone end therebeyond, the projecting end of said measuring arm beingprovided with a transversely inwardly extending section for engagementwith the syringe plunger to limit the inward movement thereof, agraduated scale provided on the outwardly presented face of themeasuring arm in calibration with the scale upon the barrel of the"syringeand means for maintaining said-measuring arm in any selectedposition relative to the support arm.

3. In a holder for hypodermic syringes having a first sleeve, a secondsleeve disposed at its lower end in said first sleeve and adapted forslidable movement therein, and a tubular needle guard adjustably mountedon the lower end of said first sleeve, the improvement comprising avial-holding assembly detachably secured to said needle guard, saidvial-holding assembly comprising a neck portion, a frame having opposedupper ends swingably engaged upon the neck portion, and means formaintaining a vial securely within the frame.

4. In a holder for hypodermic syringes having a first sleeve, a secondsleeve disposed at its lower end in said first sleeve and adapted forsliding movement therein, a tubular needle guard adjustably mounted onthe lower end of said first sleeve in concentricity with said first andsecond sleeves, and a locking collar engaged on said needle guard, theimprovement comprising a vial holding assembly comprising a neck portionadapted for detachable engagement upon the needle guard and beingconcentric therewith, a frame having opposed upper ends for swingableengagement upon the neck portion, and an ad- Justment screw provided insaid frame for maintaining a vial securely therein.

5. In combination with a holder for hypodermic syringes having anelongated tubular member for receiving a syringe in concentricitytherewith, a bail-like vial holding frame disposed outwardly of thelower end of said tubular member and being secured thereto, and 'aliquid-containing vial supported on said frame for normal extension ofits head portion into the tubular 2;

vial supported on said frame for normal extension of its head portioninto the tubular member in concentricity with said syringe whereby thecap portion of said vial will be presented for puncture by the syringeneedle, and means for rigidly securing said vial in position.

7. A holder for hypodermic syringes comprising an elongated tubularportion for receiving the barrel of a syringe, a support arm swingablymounted at its lower end on the exterior face of said tubular portionand being marginally inturned to provide a slide way, a measuring armslidably disposed within the slide way of the support arm for relativeaxial movement with respect thereto into extended position beyond theupper end of the support arm, said measuring arm having graduationsprovided on its outward- 1y presented face calibrated for correspondenceto the barrel contents, a transversely extending arm integral with themeasuring arm at its upper end for abutment against the under surface ofthe head of the plunger of the syringe to limit the inward movementthereof, and means for maintaining the measuring arm and support arm inselected position relative to each other;

8. A holder for hypodermic syringes having a barrel, said barrel havinggraduated markings for indicating contents of the barrel, a plungermovable in said barrel and a diametrally increased head on said plunger,comprising an elongated tubular portion for receiving the barrel of thesyringe, a channel-shaped support arm pivotally mounted at its lower endon the exterior face of said tubular portion for swingable movement in aplane parallel to the vertical axis of the syringe barrel, a measuringarm slidably disposed on said support arm for relative axial movementwith respect thereto whereby said measuring arm may extend beyond theupper end of the support arm, graduations delineated on the outwardlypresented face of the measuring arm in calibration with the graduatedmarkings on the barrel so that the graduations on the measuring armimmediately adjacent the upper end of the support arm in any relativepositionment therebetween will indicate the volumetric content of thebarrel, set screw means for maintaining said measuring arm and supportarm rigidly in selected relative positionment, and an abutment armintegral with the measuring arm at its upper end and extendingtransversely inwardly in. axial normal relation to the axis of theplunger for movement into the path thereof for limiting its inwardmovement thereby assuring that the material contents of the barrel willbe as indicated on the measuring arm gradnations.

9. In combination with a holder for hypodermic syringes having anelongated tubular member for receiving a syringe in concentricitytherewith and a vial containing material for withdrawal by the syringe,the improvement comprising a vial-holding frame having a lowertransverse section and side sections, a tubularshaped neck member forremovable securement within the lower end of the tubular member of theholder, said side sections being pivotally mounted at their upper endsat diametrally opposed points on said neck member and a set screwthreadedly engaged in the lower transverse section of the frame forextension upwardly therethrough whereby a vial supported on said framewill have its head maintained within the neck member for alignment withthe syringe and secured therein by engagement on its under surface bythe set screw.

10. In combination with a holder for hypodermic syringes having anelongated tubular member for receiving a syringe, in concentricitytherewith and a vial containing material for withdrawal by the syringe,the improvement comprising a vial-holding frame having a lowertransverse section and a pair of upwardly projecting side sections, saidside sections being spaced from each other a distance in excess of thediameter of the vial to be held therein, a tubular-shaped neck memberfor removable securement within the lower end of the tubular member ofthe holder, said side sections being pivotally secured on said neckmember at diametrally opposed points whereby said frame will beswingable within the plane of the holder, said transverse section havinga centrally disposed threaded bore, and a thumb screw threadedly engagedin said bore for extension upwardly therethrough into the interior of thframe whereby a, vial disposed in said frame will have its head portioninserted within the lower end of the neck member for alignment with thesyringe and being held snugly by engagement on its under surface by thethumb screw.

ATTILIO MARCELLI.

(References 011 following page) REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Grier et a1. Nov. 23, 1926 SmileyJune 21, 1927 Jefiords Apr. 13, 1937 ONeill July 5, 1938 10 NumberNumber Name Date Kayden Sept. 15, 1942 German Apr. 25, 1944 Vondrak May8, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 9, 1909 FranceJune 21, 1922

